In March of 1931, a
series of protests began in Cedar County, Iowa led by local dairy farmers who
were resisting mandatory bovine tuberculosis testing that had been mandated
in the state of Iowa for decades. The resulting protest took farmers from the
Statehouse to the barnyard as they fought to repeal objectionable legislation.
Other more violent acts of protest followed in western Iowa in 1932 as the
Depression deepened and farm foreclosures in Iowa led the country. A Judge
was nearly lynched, lawyers were threatened, Sheriffs were forced to kiss flags
and that was just the beginning. The FarmersÕ Holiday strike led to violent
picketing and mob rule on Iowa roads.

This lesson focuses on
the primary resources from 1930-33 that shed light on the justifications and
the actions for the rural violence that occurred in Iowa prior to RooseveltÕs
New Deal programs in Iowa. No significant acts of organized rural violence
occurred after 1933.

After a thorough
review of the documents, students will demonstrate their understanding of the
situation in Iowa by partaking in a dinner party where they will be expected
to converse and mingle with fellow diners mentioned in the documents they are
all familiar with. Along the way students will also fill out graphic
organizers to prepare them for the dinner party. Students will also have an
opportunity to set the place cards for their fellow diners. There are also
mini-lessons to provide analysis activities.

The secondary source information contained
within their textbook and have access to existing lectures.

The basic timeline and essential questions
from the Great Depression Unit

The basic New Deal legislation and have
read at least through FDRÕs first One Hundred Days

Day 1:

Students are placed in their cooperative
groups. Each group will begin at their assigned spot and will rotate
from primary source station (#1) to the next station counter-clockwise.
Each station contains a set number of documents (photos, transcripts,
telegrams etc.). Students may access the documents at a later date if
necessary but should take good notes at the time they are in their cooperative
group. Groups are given 10 - 12 minutes before the timer goes off.
Teacher should assist and guide as needed.

Repeat step #1 until all cooperative
groups have made it full circle.

Day 2:

Students will individually complete the
mini-lesson comparing and contrasting the poem ŌTough GoingĶ with images
from rural Iowa.

Students will complete the compare and
contrast activity.

Handout the Dinner Party Seating Chart and
Conversation script.

Assign each student a name to represent.

Students individually work on the Dinner
Party handout using their notes about the primary resources they analyzed
the previous day.

Primary documents should remain out and at
the disposal of students to view as they begin to formulate their
position and conversation ideas.

Assign dinner party food items to bring to
the dinner party potluck for the following day. (Finger foods and
uncomplicated food is suggested; who wants to have the mess and the
students canÕt spend much time eating when they are being graded for the
amount of conversation made)

Day 3

Divide the desks into two large dinner
tables. Each table will have its own set of characters but the food will
be shared buffet style. Students are not allowed to mingle outside of
their own dinner party (otherwise, you might have dinner guest FDR from
table 1 talking to dinner guest FDR from table 2).

5 minutes of pre-dinner conversation as
students enjoy appetizers.

Meanwhile, using a clipboard, the teacher
needs to assess the conversations and amount of conversation and
listening. Use the rubric to assess the quality of the conversation.
Write down ideas that can be discussed in step 6.

Proceed to dinner. Allow the students a
few minutes to load their plates and sit. Then begin to assess once
again. Continue dinner for 20-30 minutes.

Stop the dinner party. Clean the dinner
table and buffet and return the classroom to normalcy.

Discuss what students thought, what they
learned, what was frustrating, what was funny. Use the time to steer the
conversation back to the main ideas: why was there violence in Iowa, who
was responsible or to blame for the situation, could it have been
handled differently. Thoughts on the personalities involved.

As homework, have the students fill out
the chart titled The Thirties in Iowa

Analyze lyrics of popular songs from the
Great Depression and Compare and Contrast them with the words of Clara
Ackerman, Elmer Powers, the family of Rev. Leo Ward. Have the students
explain why there is such a striking contrast (who wants a sad song) and then
have them write their own lyrics. Activity - lyrics in gd.docx

Students view photographs of Iowa farms and farmers
available from the Library of CongressÕ Black and White Photos from the
FSA/OWI http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html(a New Deal program that did a great job documenting the
Great Depression). Students use their visual observations to take note of the
photos and then use those observations to make well founded inferences about
the state of disrepair or activities in the photos. Make inferences about
whether the farm has phone, electricity, running water.

Use
the Farm Security Administration Photographs available from the Library of
Congress as visual references for students to write letters to President
Roosevelt. Students can write letters criticizing the New Deal, advocating
the effectiveness of the New Deal or the student can make suggestions that
might help Roosevelt in crafting a better Second New Deal. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html

Seating chart was incomplete or lacked justification
sufficient to place dinner guests at their seating assignment.

Seating chart was completed and justification was
provided to explain why people were seated in particular locations. Justifications
were either too vague or lacked evidence to support the conclusion.

Seating chart was completely filled in and seating
placement was justified in regards to placing individuals in appropriate
locations to prevent further violence and free flowing conversation.

Dinner Party Wkst Part II –
Conversations/Script

The conversation information was too brief, may have
lacked detail and was unspecific. Information from the primary resources was
not used.

Question #3 on general topics was adequate but
lacked information from the primary and secondary resources provided in
class. Specific events may have had mistakes or lacked details for the script
for your assigned person.

Question #3 on general topics was very thorough and
demonstrated a knowledge of the individuals and their connection to the
events of the era in Iowa. Events were specific and represented knowledge of
primary sources and the specific person you were assigned (#4).

Dinner Party Exchanges and Mingling

# minutes _________

Student conversation was infrequent and may have
been limited to a listening role. The listening may have not been active.

Student was engaged in conversation and was an
active listener and speaker for half of the dinner party. Student mingled and
engaged in conversation with some members of the dinner table.

Student was engaged in conversation and was an
active listener and speaker for most of the dinner party. Student mingled and
conversed with many members of the dinner table. May have injected
conversations to get other guests speaking.

Dinner Party Conversation Content

The conversation and give-and-take demonstrated a
shaky knowledge of the era, the situation in Iowa, the person they represent
and the other people at the table. Knowledge of primary resources was not
demonstrated.

The conversation and give-and-take demonstrated a
basic knowledge of the era, the situation in Iowa, the person they represent
and an understanding of the other people at the table. Knowledge of primary
resources was rarely demonstrated.

The conversation and give-and-take demonstrated a
knowledge of the era, the situation in Iowa, the person they represent and an
understanding of the other people at the table. Knowledge of primary
resources is obvious.